Ex-Miramar cop drew paid leave while losing Caravella lawsuit

George Pierson agrees to repay $3,447 to Citrus County

April 22, 2013|Michael Mayo, Sun Sentinel Columnist

While George Pierson was attending — and losing — a civil trial for framing a mentally challenged teen, the former Miramar police detective was drawing a full paycheck from his current government employer, Citrus County.

Pierson, 63, a code enforcement officer in central Florida, was granted paid administrative leave after he showed his supervisor a witness subpoena in the Anthony Caravella civil trial. Pierson missed more than five weeks of work, but took home his usual pay, which amounted to $3,447 for the trial's duration.

Fill in your own adjective here: outrageous, galling … or perhaps a fitting way to cap off a supreme injustice.

A federal jury found Pierson liable for $3 million in damages last month after Caravella spent nearly 26 years in prison for a 1983 rape and murder he didn't commit. Another Miramar officer, William Mantesta, was found liable for $4 million in damages.

When Citrus County Chronicle reporter Mike Wright started asking questions about Pierson's paid leave and whether it violated county policy, county officials met with Pierson and Grant. The result: Pierson offered to repay the $3,447, by forfeiting vacation time and future pay.

So in a bit of a twist, Pierson will have some of his upcoming paychecks garnished, but the money won't be going to Caravella. It'll be going to Citrus County.

Grant called the matter "a misunderstanding" and said Pierson apologized and offered to repay "out of an abundance of caution."

In a April 12 memo to Pierson, Citrus County human resources director Sherry Anderson wrote: "Although you did receive the subpoena to appear (as a witness), you were also named as a defendant in the same case. As such, to avoid any appearance of impropriety, you have volunteered to reimburse the county for the administrative leave."

Anderson and Grant told me Pierson's supervisor was aware that Pierson was a defendant in the case, and that he didn't mislead anyone. Grant said Pierson faces no other discipline, and will continue in his $32,593-a-year job.

According to the memo, Pierson, who makes $15.67 an hour, will give up 103 hours of vacation time and will have 117 hours ($1,833) docked from his next 12 paychecks.

I think he'll be able to take the financial hit. Pierson gets an annual pension of at least $113,374 from Miramar. He took a disability retirement in 2008 after 34 years with the force. He moved to Inverness, and was hired by Citrus County in August 2008.

Anderson said a disability pension from a law enforcement position doesn't preclude someone from civilian government work. "He passed a pre-employment physical, and was cleared to perform the functions for what we hired him for," Anderson said.

While Pierson is working toward his second government pension, Caravella, released in 2009, has been working an $11-an-hour construction job.

After appeals and other legal hurdles play out, it's anyone's guess when Caravella might see his $7 million.